Prince Edward Island premier, Wade MacLauchlan, is heading a trade mission to China in an effort to quadruple sales from the island province by 2025
Currently food products are the province’s largest export to China, but the mission, at the end of March, will focus on education, tourism and manufacturing.
Representatives from twenty one companies and schools are accompanying the premier.
MacLauchlan stressed the importance of personal connections when developing trade ties.
“It’s a big world. They’ve got a lot of people they could be talking to.”
MacLauchlan maintains the target of quadrupling sales is achievable, following the success of fresh lobster exports, which quadrupled in two years.
They were worth $40 million in 2016.
The export demand helps improve prices at home, MacLauchlan said.
When it comes to tourism, China is second only to the United States.
MacLauchlan foresees great growth opportunities.
100 million Chinese people travelled internationally last year, he said, and that number is expected to double or triple in the coming years.
The upcoming trade mission will focus on Hainan province, in southern China.
P.E.I. began a cooperation relationship with Hainan in 2001, which was recently renewed.
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